Coffee And Walnut Traybake Cake Food

COFFEE AND WALNUT TRAYBAKE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and line a roasting tin roughly 20.5cm x 30.5cm x 5cm (8in x 12in x 2in) with baking parchment.
• To make the cake, put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat with a handheld electric whisk until light and fluffy, about 3min. Gradually add eggs, whisking all the time - if the mixture looks as if it's about to curdle, mix in 1tbsp of the flour.
• Use a large metal spoon to fold in the flour, chopped walnuts, coffee and milk to make a smooth batter. Spoon mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 35-40min or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5min, then lift cake out and cool in its parchment on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the icing by beating together the butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract and 1½tbsp hot water until smooth. Beat in the ground coffee.
• Once the cake is completely cool, peel off the paper and slice horizontally through the middle. Transfer the bottom layer to a large serving plate or board. Use half the icing to sandwich the layers back together, then spread remaining icing over the top of the cake. Neatly arrange the walnut halves on top of the cake. Cut into squares.

COFFEE & WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm springform cake tins and line with baking parchment. Set aside 2 tbsp of the coffee for the filling.
• Beat the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, vanilla and half the remaining coffee in a large bowl with an electric whisk until lump-free. Fold in the finely chopped walnuts, then divide between the tins and roughly spread. Scatter the roughly chopped walnuts over one of the cakes. Bake the cakes for 25-30 mins until golden and risen, and a skewer poked in comes out clean. Drizzle the plain cake with the remaining coffee. Cool the cakes in the tins.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: beat together the icing sugar, cream and mascarpone, then fold in the reserved 2 tbsp coffee. Spread over the plain cake, then cover with the walnut-topped cake and dust with a little icing sugar.